This invention relates to a thermal printer capable of receiving data input from, and transmitting data to an external device, and more particularly to a thermal printer which prints a predetermined code when data inputted from an external device matches data from a data reader.
Various types of portable data input and transmission devices referred to as data collectors, data terminals and the like have been developed. These devices are often provided with a pen scanner or other such data reading means which are used to scan bar codes or the like. The collector temporarily stores the data read by the data reader. The stored data is then supplied to a compact printer. The printer prints out the data on ordinary paper for confirmation or later reference. The data may also be inputted to a host computer or the like to undergo various types of data processing.
Such data devices are disadvantageous in that they are only capable of printing out the read data or the data received from the host computer on ordinary paper for the purpose of confirmation or future reference. They therefore have only limited applications since they are not capable of thereafter reproducing the data via label printing for display on articles of merchandise or the like.